MAY 21St SCRANTON/WB (19-22) at PAWTUCKET (17-22) 6:15 Pm
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MAY 21st SCRANTON/WB (19-22) at PAWTUCKET (17-22) 6:15 pm Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders RHP Erik Swanson (NR) vs. Pawtucket Red Sox LHP Jalen Beeks (2-2, 1.93) Hello Friends – The Pawtucket Red Sox and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (AAA-Yankees) renew their rivalry for the second time at McCoy Stadium this month when they open a 4-game series in Pawtucket tonight at 6:15 pm (Live on NESN). This will start a 9-game homestand over the next 8-days at McCoy (this Monday through Memorial Day Monday) as the PawSox host the RailRiders for 4-games followed by the 1st-place Lehigh Valley IronPigs for a 5-game series (in 4-days). Earlier this month, Pawtucket and Scranton/WB met for a 4-game home and home series that included a split in Moosic, PA on May 3 & 4 before the PawSox posted back-to-back 2-0 shutout victories over the RailRiders on Evil Empire weekend at McCoy on May 5 & 6. TV Time – This evening marks the first of four NESN telecasts from McCoy this season. The others are June 21 vs. Buffalo, August 13 vs. Norfolk, and August 16 vs. Durham. The PawSox radio duo of Josh Maurer and Will Flemming move into the NESN booth tonight while Mik Monaco and Jim Cain handle the radio call. This homestand is ripe with television exposure as the PawSox will be on YurView on COX throughout Rhode Island for the first of 10 such telecasts this Friday night vs. Lehigh Valley at 7:05 pm. And then myRITV will be beaming all weekend games vs. the IronPigs starting with Saturday’s make-up doubleheader at 4:05 pm (myRITV will also showcase the PawSox Hall of Fame induction ceremonies of Fred Lynn and Mike Tamburro between games of the twinbill on Saturday) and concluding with Sunday’s 1:35 pm also on myRITV throughout Rhode Island and Bristol County, MA. The PawSox will have 42 of their 70 scheduled home games televised this season on either myRITV, YurView on COX, Spectrum TV3 in the Worcester area, and NESN. Unfamiliar Territory – Pawtucket and Scranton/WB are traditionally two of the top contenders in thbe IL North division. In fact, over the past dozen seasons either Scranton/WB (9 times) or Pawtucket (2 times) has won the IL North regular-season pennant 11 times in those 12 years. The only other club to win the IL North during that span is Syracuse in 2014. However, coming into tonight, the 6th-place (last-place) PawSox have lost 4 in a row to match their longest losing streak of the season (also from May 7-10) while the 5th-place RailRiders come to town on a 3-game losing skid. A PawSox (17-22) win tonight would move them into a virtual tie with Scranton/WB (19-22). The 2018 Season-Series vs. Scranton/WB – The PawSox have a 3 games to 1 lead in the season-series over Scranton/WB including a 2-0 mark here at McCoy. Just over two weeks ago, the clubs played here at McCoy on the weekend of May 5 & 6 with the PawSox posting a pair of 2-0 victories. The winner on May 5 was Chandler Shepherd (7 IP) with relief help from Tyler Thornburg (1 IP) and save to Robby Scott (1 IP). On May 6 it was Justin Haley with the victory (5+ innings) followed by Brandon Workman (3 IP) and SV to Bobby Poyner (1 IP). The previous two nights in Moosic, PA, the teams had traded 1-run victories. On May 3, in the first meeting between these two long time rivals, the RailRiders earned a walk-off, 4-3 victory with a run in the bottom of the 9th after the Sox had rallied to tie the game with a run in the top half of the inning. On May 4 the Sox gained the split in Moosic by scoring twice in the 8th to snap a 3-3 tie and then holding Scranton/WB to only one run in the bottom of the 9th for a 5-4 win. A Tough Weekend – Pawtucket returns home after suffering a 3-game sweep in Rochester over the weekend. The Sox lost games by scores of 2-0, 2-1, and 3-0 as they managed just 13 hits total (9 singles, 3 doubles, and 1 homerun by Mike Olt) in the three games. The Sox were blanked on both Friday and Sunday and have now been shutout a league-high 8 times this season. Last year they were shutout a total of 9 times and didn’t suffer their 8th shutout loss until August 26 (Game #133). NEXT ON TAP - The probable pitching match-ups for the remainder of the series vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at McCoy: Tues. 6:15 pm RHP Chance Adams (1-2, 4.69) vs. RHP William Cuevas (1-2, 4.06) Wed. 6:15 pm LHP Justus Sheffield (0-1, 2.16) vs. RHP Chandler Shepherd (2-3, 4.21) Thur. 11:05 am LHP Josh Rogers (3-3, 2.98) vs. RHP Justin Haley (1-5, 3.63) What Have You Done For Me Lately – Pawtucket has lost 4 straight (they also lost 4 in a row from May 7-10) and they need a win tonight to avoid their longes losing streak since an 8-game losing streak last July 29 – August 6. The PawSox have also dropped 10 of their last 12 games following a 3-game winning streak from May 4-6 that equaled their longest winning streak of the season (also 3 straight from April 20-22). Pawtucket has won 4 of their last 5 at home, however, dating back to May 2. Dustin Pedroia Off Tonight – Boston Red Sox secondbaseman Dustin Pedroia will not play for the PawSox tonight. He has played three games thus far on his 20-day (max) injury rehab assignment with the Pawtucket Red Sox that began on May 14. Last Monday night (May 14) in Pawtucket, Dustin went 1-for-3 with a run scored playing 5-innings at 2B. He was slated to play 2B again on Tuesday night but the game was rained-out at McCoy. He was the DH on Friday in Rochester (0-for-2 with 2 walks) and on Saturday played 6 innings at 2B going 0-for-3. Dustin has been on Boston’s disabled list all season following cartilage restoration surgery in his left knee last October. The 34-year- old Pedroia has a career big league average of .300 with 140 HR & 724 RBI in 1503 games (all with the Red Sox) during his 12 year Major League career. He is a 2-time World Series champion (2007, 2013), the 2007 American League Rookie of the Year (when he hit .317), the 2008 American League MVP (batting .326 with a major league-high 54 doubles along with 17 HR & 83 RBI), a 4-time American League All-Star (2008-10, 2013), and a 4-time Gold Glove winner at 2B (2008, 2011, 2013 & 2014). He is one of only nine major league players ever to be named MVP, earn Rookie of the Year, win Gold Glove Awards, and win a World Series. Dustin’s .991 fielding pct. at 2B is currently the best in American League history (minimum 650 games). Pedroia was an International League All-Star for the PawSox in 2006 when he hit .305 in 111 games while playing mainly at shortstop (74 games at SS and 33 games at 2B). He was promoted to Boston and made his MLB debut on August 22, 2006. Since then he has played 1503 games with the Red Sox and 5 games with the PawSox…the first two on August 14 & 15 of 2010 at McCoy Stadium vs. Buffalo while rehabbing a broken left foot (going 1-for-6) and then during this current rehab stint that started on May 14 (1-for-8 with 2 walks & a run scored). Other Rehabbers Joining the Fun - The PawSox are expected to employ their 9th different Red Sox player on an injury rehab assignment already this season when RHP Hector Velazquez soon joins Pawtucket…In addition to Pedroia and reliever Tyler Thornburg, who are continuing their current rehabs, the PawSox added reliever Austin Maddox (right shoulder strain) on Friday and RHP Hector Velazquez (low back strain) possibly tonight on rehab assignments from Boston. The complete list of Major League rehabbers with the PawSox - just six+ weeks into the season include: LHP Drew Pomeranz (now back in Boston), RHP Steven Wright (twice but now back in Boston), LHP Bobby Poyner (optioned to Pawtucket but recalled again to Boston), INF Xander Bogaerts (since returned to Boston), RHP Tyler Thornburg (twice), INF/OF Brock Holt (now back with Boston), 2B Dustin Pedroia, RHP Austin Maddox, and (soon) RHP Hector Velazquez. Stay at Home This Time – Pawtucket has played only 6 home games thus far in May (May 1 & 2, 5 & 6, and 14 & 16) compared to 12 road games this month. However, that changes quite dramatically starting tonight as the PawSox will play 15 of their next 21 games at home between May 21 – June 10. The Sox have been in the midst of brief stays at home this month. They began May with a 3-game homestand vs. Rochester (April 30 – May 2), had a 2-game homestand vs. Scranton/WB later that weekend (May 5 & 6), and most recently a 2-game homestand vs.